Railway car type container



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j In# Oct l5" 1935 J. P. MCWILLIAMS 2,017,565

RAILWAY CAR TYPE CONTAINER Filed Feb. 1, 1932 l 2 sheets-sheet 2 37 figg ouooo'oo 0000 1 y onoeool@ OGG Patented Oct. 15, 1935 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE RAILWAY CAR TYPE CONTAINER Application February 1, 1932, Serial No. 590,083

2 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in railway car type containers.

As is well known, containers of the type indicated, are generally loaded at source of origin and 5 then transported by truck, boat and/or railway cars having open tops to destination. Such containers are of relatively large size, a common size being about nine feet long, seven feet wide and eight feet high and, when loaded, are so-heavy as to require special means of handling the same. The customary method of handling is by means of cranes, using cables attached to hooks or links at or adjacent the four top corners of the container, the cables being caught over the usual crane hook. The cables may be looped in various ways, but as will be obvious, the several portions of the cable will all extend in an upward and inwarddirection from each corner of the container to a point located approximately over the center of the container top. Due to the heavy load carried by the cables, exceedingly heavy stresses are imposed on the top portions of the container in such direction as to tend to collapse the side and end walls thereof, which are of sheet metal. Because of these stresses, the container must be ruggedly constructed to prevent such collapse and at the same time have the lifting stresses ultimately transmitted through the frame and wall structure to the usual load-sustaining, fixed bottom or base of the container.

Another important factor necessary to be taken in consideration in successful use of such con,

tainers, is the stress that may be imposed on any one of the sheet metal walls from lateral thrust arising from shifting load in the container, due to sudden starting and stopping of the car or other vehicle on which the container is carried.

To meet the conditions above referred to, it has heretofore been customary to form the walls of the container of ordinary flat metal sheets and reinforce them on the outer sides thereof by heavy reinforcing bars or special rolled sections riveted thereto. Containers so constructed possess several disadvantages, among which are the following. Due particularly to the applied reinforcing bars on the outer faces of the walls, an excessive weight results with a corresponding excessive cost of material required and the excessive weight also obviously involves an increase in the unproductive load or deadweight to be hauled by the railroads. Further, because of the relatively large number of parts required for such reinforced Structures, the initial cost of fabrication of the parts and assembling is rendered excessive and the usual riveting ofthe reinforcing bars or rolled sections to the walls also results in a large number or rivet members being exposed on the interior of the container, which restrict the capacity to a certain extent and are likely to cause damage to certain classes of lading. .f5

One object of my invention is to provide a rugged ,and substantial container of the railway car type which, for given over-all dimensions and capacity, will be of relatively light weight; relatively low in cost of material required and labor l0 for fabrication and assembly; will be comprised of relatively few parts; and which will have a minimum number of rivet heads exposed on the interior of the container.

More specifically, an object of my invention is 15' to provide a. container of the type indicated, the walls of which are amply protected against collapsing from any of the usual methods of handling and wherein the walls are of minimum weight while still adequately, integrally reinforced 20 throughout substantially their entire areas against bulging or buckling under lateral thrusts.

Other objects of my invention will more clearly appear from the description and claims hereinafter following. 25

In the drawings forming a part of this specification, Figure lis a side elevational view of a container embodying my improvements. Figure 2 is an end elevation of the same container, Figure 2 being upon a somewhat enlarged scale. Figure 3 is a partial top plan of the container shown in Figure l. Figure 4 is a horizontal, sectional view of one of the side walls corresponding substantially to the line 4 4 of Figure 1. And Figure 5 is an enlarged, detailed, sectional view corre- 35 spending substantially to the line 5-5 of Figure 2.

In the particular embodiment of container chosen for illustration of my invention, the same is of that general type having a fixed or permanent bottom or floor; two side walls; two end walls, each of which is provided with a suitable door arrangement; a fixed roof; and lifting devices at each of the four corners thereof, although, as will 45 be understood by those skilled in the art, my improvements may be embodied in other styles of containers of the railway car type.

The bottom or flooring of the container will be of any suitable construction of adequate 50 strength to sustain the load and, broadly speaking, will comprise a framework composed of side sills l0, end sills Il, suitable cross beams (not shown), and flooring. Said sills and cross beams, as will be understood, will all be securely 55 riveted or otherwise rigidly secured together to form a rigid base or bottom structure.

The framework for the container preferably comprises four angle corner posts I 2-I 2, each securely riveted at its bottom end to a corner of the bottom framework, as illustrated in Figures 1 and 2 and, on the ends, door posts I3-I3 will also be secured to the end sills II and extended upwardly therefrom to the desired height of door opening. The doors may be of any suitable construction, Figure 2 illustrating two double doors I4-I4, each of which comprises an outer leaf I5 hinged to an inner leaf I5 by hinges I1, each inner leaf in turn being hinged to its corresponding post I3 by double jointed hinges I8-I8. The doors may be l-atched and locked by any suitable mechanism, a hasp therefor being indicated conventionally at I 9. The remaining portions of the end walls are completed by relatively narrow sheet metal panels 20-20 extending between the door posts I3 and corner posts I2. Y Y

Each of the side walls, as best shown in Figures 1 and 4, is shown comprised of two sheet metal panels 2l-2I and a central post structure indicated generally by the reference character 22. Each sheet metal panel 2l is riveted or otherwise rigidly secured along its bottom edge to the side sill I0 by the rivets 23-23 and, along its outer vertical edge, tothe inside of the corresponding corner post, as indicated by the rivets 24-24. Each panel 2I is furthermore integrally reinforced, as shown, by a series of vertically extending, outwardly pressed corrugations 25--25, each of approximately V-cross section and extending substantiallythe entire height ofthe panel so as to provide substantially the entire area of each panel with the integral reinforcement and bracing. The adjacent vertical inner edges of the two panels are united by the post structure 22, which, as shown, preferably comprises an inner fiat plate or strip 26 and an outer plate 21 having a vertically extending outwardly pressed corrugation 28 therein, which extends substantially the entire length of the post, as shown. The plates 26 and 21 and panels are rigidly secured together as by the series of rivets 29. At each of the riveted joints between the panel edges and post 22, and corner post and elsewhere throughout the container, weather sealing strips, as indicated at 30, may be incorporated at the joints in a well known manner. The post 22 is securely riveted or otherwise secured at its bottom to the side sill and at its top to a spacer member hereinafter referred to.

With a wall structure such as described for the side walls with the integral reinforcing corrugations and central post, the parts may be manufactured in suitable presses; relatively light gauge metal employed; and at the same time the wall is rigidly and adequately reinforced against any bulging or bending that might otherwise occur from sudden shifting of lading within the container. Further, as will be evident, the central post structure is of substantially tubular formation, thereby affording great strength per unit of weight of material against distortion in any direction and said post also serves as an effective beam between the top and bottom of the container to which the panels may be attached so as to effect a reduction of the moment varm of lateral pressure loads applied to the panels.

As heretofore indicated, I employ means at each of the upper corners of the container by which the same may be lifted with a crane, each of said means preferably comprising a casting 3l. Each said casting 3I has a downwardly extending section 32, a curved corner section 33 and an upper roof section 34, each of said sections being of substantially angular cross section and adapted to t and be riveted to the corresponding adjacent ends of the corner post I2 and angular spacer bar 35. Each said casting is reinforced by a laterally extending rib 36 and is provided at the top thereof with an attaching hook 3l and a loop 38. As will be clear front inspection of Figure 5, each hook casting bridges' the gap between and serves to rigidly connect the adjacent ends of the corresponding corner post and spacer bar 35 and also portions of the panel sheets are riveted thereto in the upper corners as well as the roof sheet 39.

As indicated in the foregoing, each spacer bar extending between two hook castings, as shown in Figure l, is of vpreferably angular cross section and slightly upwardly arched to conform to the slope of the xed roof. The upper edges of the panels 2l and also the upper end of the central post structure 22 are riveted to the inner side of the downturned flange of said spacer bar. Extending between the two spacer bars 35 on each side of the container, are carlines 40-40, each of generally U or bathtub section, as shown in Figures 1 and 5.' Also extending between the corner posts of the container and secured at each end thereto and to corresponding lifting hooks, are Z-bars 4I, which also function as the lintels for the doors. As will be understood, the roof sheet 39 is secured to the spacer bars 35, the lifting castings, Z-bars 4I and the carlines 40.

With the construction described, it is apparent from an inspection of Figure l that, when the lifting stresses are imposed upon the corner hook castings, the spacer bar 35 acts effectively to prevent relative approach of the hook castings and. therefore prevents collapse of the wall, this effect being produced without relying to any appreciable extent, on the sheet metal panels 2l so that the latter may be made of relatively light gauge as heretofore explained. Any tendency for the spacer bar 35 to buckle upwardly as a result of the upwardly inclined stresses imposed therein when the container is lifted, is effectively resisted primarily by the central post 22 and to a certain extent by the panel sheets 2| which are, obviously,

effective under tension. Any tendency to collapse the container across its end walls, as viewed in Figure 2, when being lifted by a crane, will be effectively resisted by the Z-bars 4I and carlines 40, as will be apparent. With the construction described, it will, therefore, be seen that all of the lifting stresses will ultimately be transmitted to the base or bottom structure of the container, primarily through the corner posts and secondarily throughthe central wall post 22 and the wall sheets. With the 'construction shown and described, it is evident that the number of parts required to be fabricated and the labor of assembling is materially reduced, as compared with prior structures; the weight of the container is kept at a minimum; and at the same time, each integrally corrugated side wall may be made of relatively light construction and to provide adequate reinforcement over substantially its entire area to resist any lateral thrusts.

I have herein shown and described what I now consider the preferred manner of carrying out the invention, but the same is merely illustrative and all changes and modifications are contemplated that come within the scope of the 'claims appended hereto.

I claim:

1. In a railway car type of container of generally rectangular shape having four sides and a roof, the combination with a rectangular bottom framework; of corner posts secured at their lower ends to the respective corners of said framework; upper frame elements on two opposite sides of the container extending between and secured to the lrespective corner posts adjacent the tops thereof,

each of said Sides being provided with a door opening and door closure means, ea'ch of the remaining pair of opposed side walls of the container being comprised of two relatively light gauge sheet metal panels provided with integral. substantially vertically disposed reinforcing cor` rugations and a centrally disposed vertically eX- secured at its bottom to the bottom framework and to the panels; a top spacer bar secured to and along the top edges of said panels and to the upper end of the central post, the spacer bar terminating at its ends adjacent the respective corner posts; four upper corner members each secured to the upper end of the corresponding corner post and adjacent end of a spacer bar, each said member having means for attachment of lifting tackle; and a plurality of oarlines extending between said spacer bars, the said spacer bars and oarlines being placed under compression and both panel-post sides under tension from the respective spacer bars to the bottom framework, when the container is lifted by tackle attached to said four upper 'corner members.

2. A container in accordance with claim 1 wherein said central posts are of generally tubular formation.

JOHN P. MCWILLIAMS. 

